FINANCIAL SECURITY STATEMENT
The combination of travel services offered to you is a package within the meaning of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. Therefore, you will benefit from all rights applying to packages; Cooks Coaches will be fully responsible for the proper performance of the package as a whole.
Additionally, as required by law, Cooks Coaches have protection in place to refund your payments and, where transport is included in the package, to ensure your repatriation in the event that they become insolvent. Cooks Coaches are members of the Bonded Coach Holiday Group, overseen by The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited. This is a government approved consumer protection scheme. This ensures that in relation to the coach package holidays described in this brochure (or website) that a Bond, which may be called upon in the unlikely event of the members Insolvency, protects the clients monies. Clients are recommended to inspect the current membership certificate at our registered office or alternatively go to https://www.abtot.com/bch-abtot-members-directory/ or telephone 0207 7065 5311 to confirm current membership.
Your attention is also drawn to the Bonded Coach Holiday Group Trading Charter that will apply to these coach package holidays.
Details of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 can be found at The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (legislation.gov.uk).
FACILITIES AND STAR RATINGS
Where you stay on your holiday tour is of prime importance and as far as possible, hotels are in locations from where places of interest, beaches, shops etc. are easily accessible.
Our descriptions include all the information we have been able to gather about the facilities that should help you to have an enjoyable time. First and foremost, all rooms at all hotels are en suite, so this information where space is limited is not necessarily repeated on each page.
PLEASE NOTE: We do not always know whether there will be baths or showers or both. If you have a special requirement, such as a walk-in shower, please include this on the booking form. All have TV and, with very few exceptions, telephones. As far as we know, all offer free WiFi.
Tea/coffee making facilities are provided in all hotels in the UK and Ireland. Some may have minibars. Lifts and other features are listed as appropriate. Where we have website addresses for the hotels, we have included them so that you can access additional information if you wish. Whatever the star rating or the reviews the hotels have received, you can be sure that we have noted the important criteria:- location, comfort, cleanliness, food and service. When you have experienced our chosen hotels, we hope that you will consider that we have chosen wisely and described them accurately.
This year we have simplified our hotel descriptions but added a list of the facilities offered by our hotels. Please visit the hotel websites, supplied in the description, for a full description of facilities offered.
INCLUDED MEALS
Each tour lists which meals are included. Full cooked breakfasts are offered at all British and Irish hotels, hot or cold buffet breakfasts at those on the Continent. Evening meals in Britain & Ireland generally comprise 3 courses with choices. Tea/coffee afterwards may be included or charged for, as indicated at the time of the visit. At overnight hotels on the Continent, and on the arrival day at destination hotels, there are usually set menus with no choice. During the stay there is generally a choice of main course. Tea/coffee extra charge in most hotels.
OUR TOUR DRIVERS AND THEIR DUTIES
Our tour drivers will make sure you have a safe and comfortable ride, share their knowledge of the places you visit and are on hand most of the time in the hotels if advice and assistance are required. Please be aware that what they can do is subject to their permitted hours of duty and rest days. So on all holidays of 7 days or more, there will either be a free day or an excursion will be operated for us by a local coach.
SMOKING
Our holidays are non-smoking throughout, with very few exceptions. Smoking is illegal on coaches and other forms of transport, in hotels, restaurants and public buildings. There are a few hotels with a few designated bedrooms where smoking is allowed: if you require one, please indicate this on your booking form. Please note that this includes E cigarettes.
PRICES/VAT
All available information regarding fuel prices, rates of VAT etc. was taken into account when the 2023 prices were calculated. No price increases are envisaged during the currency of this brochure.
SEASONS
Certain tours feature flowers. They are scheduled to operate on dates when they are expected, by professional growers, to be in bloom. However, Cooks Coaches accepts no responsibility for the vagaries of the weather which may prevent or accelerate growing, resulting in their non-appearance.
IRELAND SPECIAL NOTE
Passports are not required for travel to Ireland. However, you should carry some sort of photo ID such as your passport or photo driving licence. This would be essential if for any reason you had to return by air.
SEAT ALLOCATION
We will do our best to satisfy any particular seating requests you may have. Please bear in mind that as seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis, early booking is advisable. There are no allocated seats on the feeder coaches we operate at the beginning and end of a tour.
LUGGAGE
We ask you to restrict your luggage to one medium sized suitcase per person. A small holdall can also be taken on board the coach.
WHEELCHAIRS/MOBILITY SCOOTERS
We will carry folding wheelchairs in the luggage compartment, but space restrictions mean that we can only carry two per tour. It is important to advise us of this requirement when you book. We can carry small, lightweight scooters/buggies by arrangement, but we cannot carry large ones. Passengers needing these should consider hiring them at the destination.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/DIETS
If you require a special diet you must inform us at the time of booking with a copy of the diet. We will transmit these to the various hotels but, depending on the requirement, if any additional payment is required for the provision of such a diet, you will be liable to settle this directly with the hotel. Similarly any other special requests will be passed on to the hotel and we will do our utmost to ensure they are met. We cannot accept any booking however which is conditional upon our compliance with a particular request. If you are in any doubt then please talk to one of our Reservations staff prior to confirming your booking.